


In the shadow of Darkness

by Hansonhorses



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Other, Retainer Au, memory loss mentioned
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-17
Updated: 2016-12-17
Packaged: 2018-09-09 08:34:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8884018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hansonhorses/pseuds/Hansonhorses
Summary: As Arete and Mikoto have fled Valla with their youngest children, Corrin and Lilith, Kamui and Azura have agreed to stay behind, hoping to be able to get Valla back to the glory it once had. When the two women realize that their efforts have been in vain, they flee to Nohr and Hoshido, hoping for assistance in the war that is to come. But with Azura’s memory failing her and Kamui’s illness closing in on her, the two struggle with trying to save their home.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, this is an AU I've been working on for the past couple of months and I've finally gotten the first chapter fully written. In this AU Kamui (f!corrin) was raised as Azura's retainer. Her brother, Corrin, was raised as Lilith's retainer. If you have any other questions please let me know, I will answer them for you best I can!

 

“Milady…?” Kamui stood in the doorway, her arms crossed behind her back as she watched the princess stare somberly into the mirror.

 Kamui wore her usual dark blood armor with its signature tattered cape, her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail behind her. Azura looked up as she heard her retainers voice behind her, a puzzled look on her face. The princess sat on a small stool in front of a mirror, her long blue hair cascading down her back as she smoothed out her normal white dress.

 “Kamui…” Her voice trailed off and she beckoned the blonde inside.

“You summoned for me, ma’am.” Kamui reminded the princess as she stood behind her.  Azura’s eyes lit up slightly in remembrance and she gave a nod, looking at her retainer through the mirror she sat in front of. 

“He’s getting worse Kamui, much worse than we thought he would get.” The blue haired woman sighed and shook her head.

“What happened Milady?” Kamui asked. 

“He was talking about starting wars today. He’s trying to figure out how to turn Ho…Ho…” The princess frowned, trying to find the word she was looking for.

“Hoshido?” Her retainer offered and the woman nodded.

“Yes, Hoshido. He’s trying to turn Hoshido against…. Um…” Again the woman frowned, her face screwing up in concentration.

“Nohr?” Kamui offered again and the nineteen-year-old nodded once again.

“Yes, thank you. He’s trying to turn the two against each other. Something about using the kings as his pawns. Kamui, I don’t know what to do…” Azura explained.

 Kamui was silent for a moment before she looked around the room. The door was still slightly open and the retainer quickly made sure no one was listening in on them before closing it and turning back to the princess. The nineteen-year-old knelt beside the blue haired princess. Azura frowned at Kamui, unsure of what her retainer was doing.

“Milady, I think it’s time for us to leave.” Kamui told her.

“Leave? Leave for where?” Azura asked, puzzled at her friend’s words. Kamui gave a sigh and pulled a folded piece of paper out of her pocket, handing it to the princess. Azura read the letter that the retainer had handed her, her frown growing deeper. Finally, she handed the paper back, nodding as Kamui placed it back in her pocket. 

“Right. Will you go get Lilith and meet me back here? I just need to grab a few items before we leave.” Azura told her as the two stood up.

“Yes Milady.” Kamui muttered before leaving the room. She waited a few moments before turning around and knocking on the door. She could hear Azura stumble into something a curse before the princess opened the door.

“That was fast. Come on in.” Azura told them, beckoning her inside. Kamui quickly closed the door behind her as Azura grabbed her necklace from off of her bed side table.

“Where’s Lilith?” Azura asked, frowning.

“Lady Lilith went on ahead with my brother Corrin, milady.” Kamui explained.

“That’s right. I remember now. Then we’ll go to Nohr first.” Azura told her. “And if they can’t help us we head to Hoshido.” 

“And if neither of them can help?” Kamui asked. The two were silent for a moment. 

“Then we’re on our own. But let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Azura admitted. Kamui nodded. 

“It’s time we left then.” The retainer muttered and Azura nodded, following her out into the hallway.

The blonde led them throughout the palace, avoiding places that would have the most guards and taking less known passage ways, ways that only servants knew about. After what felt like hours to Azura, the two made it out of the palace and out into the night sky. The air was cool and the area around them was silent. Not even the owls were hooting into the night as the wind rustled the girl’s hair playfully as they went. Kamui scowled as they walked towards the lake, uneasy about the stillness around them.

“Something wrong Kamui?” Azura asked, her head titling to the side.

“It’s too quite.” She grumbled and the princess frowned, looking around. A second later an arrow flew past Azura’s face, an inch away from hitting her. Kamui grabbed a hold of Azura’s hand, pulling her towards the lake.

“Run!” The blonde yelled as the two dodged the arrows flying at them.

They dove into the water, swimming into a swirling white light as arrows continued to rain upon them even when they were in the water. Kamui stretched out her free hand, touching the mist with her fingertips. Her vision went blurry and the world around her seemed to twist. The next thing Kamui knew the two were falling to the ground, landing on their backs on the dark soil. Kamui groaned and got to her feet slowly before pulling Azura up. The princess stumbled a bit, gripping onto Kamui’s arm tightly.

“Where are we?” Azura asked as the two looked around. The area was dark and the trees looked to be dying off. There was no evidence of a lake near them, only a dangerous looking swamp off to their left. 

“Somewhere in Nohr. Not far from the capital from what it looks like.” Kamui added.

“How do you know that?” Azura frowned at her friend.

“There’s light up ahead not to mention I can hear music.” Kamui grinned, pointing from where she noticed light coming from. Azura squinted ahead of them but saw only darkness and heard only the sound of owls hooting into the night.

“You and your over powered senses.” Azura shook her head, a small smile tracing her lips.

“Let’s get going. We need to talk with the king.”

  

 

 

“Are these the gates?” Azura asked, frowning at the menacing looking wooden doors decorated with iron in front of them.

“Yes milady.” Kamui nodded.

“Not very friendly looking…” Azura’s voice trailed off and Kamui reached up to grab the big iron knocker.

“Who goes there?!” A guard’s voice called out, his head poking out of the watchtower above them.

“We’re friends of Queen Arete! We’re here to see King Garon.” Kamui yelled up to the man. There was silence for a moment as the guard stared at them in shock for a moment before turning behind him.

“Open the gates quickly!” He shouted over his shoulder.

The large wooden doors opened with a creak and the two women were ushered inside by a couple of guards. Two maids waited for them on the other side, one with light blue hair and one with dusty pink hair. They gave a respectful bow and led them through the castle built into the ground. They passed a large ballroom with loud music playing and Azura’s eyes lingered on the dancing figures while Kamui had to resist the urge to cover her pointed ears. After a while the four stopped in front of a large wooden door and ushered inside.

“Wait here please. Prince Xander will be with you shortly.” The blue haired maid told them, her face blank before she turned and left. The pink haired maid stayed with them in the room, giving them a kind smile. Azura turned to Kamui, a puzzled look on her face as she sat in the chair across from the large desk in the center of the room, Kamui standing beside her. 

“Who is Prince Xander?” She asked.

“I believe he is the crown Prince of Nohr Milady. King Garon is most likely busy at the ball they seem to be holding.” Kamui explained and Azura nodded.

 “Can I get you any tea?” The pink haired maid asked them and Kamui shook her head while Azura gave a nod.

The maid smiled at them and moved over to the tea pot in the corner that Kamui hadn’t noticed before. Carefully the maid poured the tea into a single cup and set the pot down when she was done. Proud that she hadn’t spilled a drop, the woman moved over towards Azura with the cup. She got about half way over to the princess when her feet seem to catch on themselves and she tripped. Luckily, Kamui caught both the maid and the tea before they could fall to the ground. The maid gave a bow after straightening up, an apologetic smile on her face as Kamui handed the tea cup to Azura.

 “Thank you… um…” The princess frowned at the woman.

“Felicia ma’am.” The maid told her.

“Thank you Felicia.” Azura smiled, taking a sip of the tea.

 “Trip again Felicia?” A male voice asked from the door way.

A man with blonde slightly curly hair stood in the door way dressed in a black formal suit. A woman with purple hair coving half of her face stood behind him wearing a floor length strapless dress. The blue haired maid stood on the man’s other side.

 “L-lord Xander! Uh, I’m so sorry!” Felicia stammered, giving him a bow as well. 

“It’s quite alright.” Xander held up a hand before turning towards Azura and Kamui. “Flora tells me that you two know Queen Arete?”

 “Yes sir. I’m her daughter, Azura and this is my retainer Kamui.” Azura explained as Xander took the seat behind the desk and the purple haired woman stood beside him. 

“I’m Prince Xander and this is my sister Camila. It’s a pleasure to meet you Azura, I’ve heard many things about you from your mother. If you don’t mind, I’d like the three of us to have a private talk. Could your retainer maybe wait outside until we are done speaking?” Xander asked, glancing at Kamui. Azura looked slightly panicked as she turned to Kamui.

 “I’ll just be out in the hall, I won’t be far.” Kamui explained, taking the letter from out of her pocket and handing it to the princess again. “Here, just in case.”

“Are you sure? Won’t it-” Azura began but Kamui shook her head a smiled.

“It will be okay. If you forget anything just show him that.” Kamui told her before walking out of the room with the two maids. Azura watched her leave, feeling more alone then she had in a long time. Xander cleared his throat grabbing her attention again.

“Before we get to why you are here, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you.”  Xander began.

 


End file.
